Dangerously Close

18.

Yeongdeungpo, Seoul
The Sakura House

How can she not be scared?

Before the hostess can put up a brave front, low rhythmic footsteps she heard as background noise became louder as they came closer. She turned her head to get an eye on the source, but she stumbled backward upon seeing two militaristic lines of men exiting the back entrance of the manor. They were all in black with identical styles to the men who accompanied Kane. 

"Clear the second floor."

The woman swung her head back to Kane when he spoke. "Yes, Sir." Startled by their loud response, she fell to the floor full of fright and uncertainty. 
'Where is Gunwoo?' Didn't he see the takeover happening?' 'How can he not come to our rescue?' 'Was he truly afraid of this man?'
Cha Kang-Jae aka Kane crouched to her eye level. She shrank back upon the close proximity of their faces. The fear she began to feel, along with her boss's daily grouse of this man, the cold dark eyes, and the equally cold smirk rose her fear factor.

"Do you want to try screaming? Maybe he will come to your rescue then." Kane said lowly. 

"G-Gunwoo will come," she shouted. Kane tilted his head in curiosity; he saw through her faux bravery, he wanted to know what made her so loyal to that man. Angry shouts and the sound of fighting came from the two rooms on the ground floor; on the second floor loud voices can be heard then screams of fright. The woman trembled. Kane chuckled. 
"Let's get you seated. How rude of me to have you on the floor." He led her back to her chair and harshly pushed the desk away. The panic button was revealed beneath the desk and her once mounted device was now in a haphazard position. She regretted her decision not activating the panic button but Gunwoo is seeing the situation, right?

Kane left her side and climbed the stairs. The following actions had her thinking that everything was orchestrated and it was some sort of prank. A foot soldier came rushing down the stairs with a similar brocade chair in his arms. It was positioned at the center of the platform to give the boss view of all the vantage points. The stairs on either side and the wide entryway, above his head, was a CCTV camera which was the only functioning one. The hostess didn't know that the entire building was isolated from the outside world and that it was Kane's doing. 'The guards will act on this intrusion. Yes. They will sort things out. Gunwoo is probably giving orders.' Her thoughts were etched on her face. Kane's smirk widen as the woman became hysterical with her desperation building. He knew she can sense the gravity of the situation. In her situation when one is dependent on the boss's strength and throws a blind eye to their escapades they feel secure. She didn't expect this situation to happen. 

"Ah! here it comes," Kane muttered to himself.

"GUNWOO!!!! WHERE ARE YOU?"

"There it is," he said with a chuckle. His night is so entertaining. He wondered if his team was amused as him.

           >The Parlor<

Based on the ground floor, this room hosted closed-door entertainment. It was a one-room strip club with requested ladies. This room was dominated by the young rich heirs and their friends. Three large groups were visiting that night. The leader of the groups were all fourth-generation chaebols and saw it as their duty to flaunt their family's riches to the middle-class friends in their group. High-class exotic dancers who served them were beyond their paycheck, the young chaebols took advantage of that. Downing expensive alcohol and ordering dishes they won't normally touch was a heavenly night for them all.

But. It all crashed when masked men entered the room. 

They were all flabbergasted and unable to come to a conclusion as to what was happening. One had a device in his hand and held it away from him, slowly encompassing the room.